Well apparatus and method of placing apertured inserts in well pipe

ABSTRACT

A projection containing through porting is displaced endwise and relatively through a well casing wall to cause the projection to penetrate the surrounding formation. The displacement is completed when the through porting bridges the casing wall, thereby to channel the production flow through such porting.

O9l2-=72 XR 396909380 United States Patent 1151 3,690,380

Grable 1 Sept. 12, 1972 54 WELL APPARATUS AND METHOD OF 3,419,08912/1968 Venghiattis 175/4.57 PLACING APERTURED INSERTS IN 3,301,3371/1967 Vaughn et al ..175/77 x WELL PIPE 2,544,601 3/1951 Kinley ..166229 x 1,629,018 5/1927 Coberly ..166/229 [72] hwenmr- 9: 'f if 2,303,72712/1942 Douglas ..166 100 x 38:8 eac 3,361,204 1/1968 Howard et al...166/55.1 x 3,430,711 3/1969 Taggart 166/100 x 22 Filed: June 22, 19703,338,307 8/1967 Redwine ..166/100 2,546,669 3/1951 Kirby ..175/77 [2]]Appl. No.: 47,957

Primary Examiner-*Stephen J. Novosad [52] US. Cl. ..166/298, l66/55.1,166/229, Attorney-White, Haefliger & Bachand 166/308, 166/55.3 [51] Int.Cl ..E2lb 43/11, E2lb 29/00 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Fleldl ?f A projectioncontaining through porting is displaced 4 endwise and relatively througha well casing wall to cause the projection to penetrate the surroundingformation. The displacement is completed when the [56] References cuedthrough porting bridges the casing wall, thereby to UNITED STATESPATENTS channel the production flow through such porting.

3,236,304 2/1966 Sarapuu ..166/55.l X 16 Claims, 14 Drawing FiguresPATENTEDsEP 12 I972 sum 1 or 2 7%? AY c WELL APPARATUS AND METHOD OFPLACING APERTURED INSERTS IN WELL PIPE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION tionsin well casings to pass or drain the production fluid from thesurrounding formation into the casing for subsequent flow to thesurface. Such perforations may be pre-formed in the casing prior toinstallation in the well, or they may be formed by perforationtechniques carried out in the well, as for example gun perforation. Ineither case, problems of abrasive erosion of the casing remain, sandparticles in the oil flow tending to cut the casing metal surroundingthe perforations and eventually leading to its destruction anddiminished functioning of the well. Also, small width perforations of asize to prevent large particle entrance into the casing undesirablyrestrict the in-flow of production fluid, and frequently become plugged,leading to loss of production.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is a-major object of the invention toprovide apparatus and method characterized as overcoming the abovedescribed problems, as well as offering unusual advantages in theoperation of oil and gas wells.

Basically, the method of the invention concerns increasing effectiveflow-passing communication between the exterior and interior of casingset in a well through use of a projection of strainer having a nose(typically hardened) at one end, and through porting extendinglengthwise of the projection. The method involves displacing theprojection endwise and relatively through the casing wall to cause thenose to penetrate the surrounding formation; and, completing suchdisplacement when the through porting bridges the casing wall, therebyto channel the production flow through such porting. As will appear,cutting and wear action of the sand particles upon the casing or linerare substantially reduced since the projection itself will be subjectedto wear rather than the casing exterior, and the projection may behardened to resist such wear. Also, production in-flow, or drainage fromthe formation, will be increased due to the penetration of theprojection and porting therein into the surrounding formationfor'increasing the flow collection area or zone. Further, should theprojections become clogged, new ones may easily be inserted through thewall of the casing set in the well.

Additional steps of the inventive method include displacing theprojection into the formation until a flange or shoulder on theprojection is brought into load transmitting relation with the casinginner wall; carrying multiple projections on spreadable sections of apipe within the casing and urging the sections toward the casing wall asby means of a swaging tool; displacing multiple projections through thecasing wall and into a surrounding cement formation to fracture thelatter and open up fracture paths for oil and gas flow into the casing;flowing liquid from within the casing to the exterior via the porting inthe projections, as during washing for example; and producing the wellvia the porting in the multiple projections extending into theformation.

In its apparatus aspect, the invention concerns the provision, incombination with well casing, of a projection as defined; theincorporation on the projection of a flange or shoulder facing the innerside of the casing wall for limiting outward displacement of theprojection through that wall; the use on the casing of multiple spacedprojections as defined, which may be of various shapes and consist ofsufficiently hard material to penetrate the casing and also to resistparticulate abrasion; the supporting of the projections on pipe sectionswithin the casing and subject to spreading as by a swedging tool to urgethe projections through the casing and into the formation; and the useof various tools within the casing and located to urge the projectionsoutwardly, as will be described.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention, as well as thedetails of illustrative embodiments, will be more fully understood fromthe following detailed description of the drawings, in which:

DRAWING DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 is a side elevation showing multipleprojections extending through casing and into a formation;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged side elevation showing one of the FIG. 1projections;

FIG. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view like FIG. 2 showing a modified projection;

FIG. 5 is a section taken on line 55 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a view like FIG. 1 showing auxiliary support of theprojection, prior to their penetration of the cas- FIG. 7 is a sectiontaken on lines 77 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view like FIG. 7 but showing urging of the projectionsthrough the casing and into the surrounding formation;

FIG. 9 is a vertical elevation like FIG. 6, but showing the projectionsafter their installation;

FIG. 10 is a view like FIG. 3, but showing a modified projection;

FIG. 11 is an elevation taken on line 11-11 of FIG. 10;

FIG. 12 is a fragmentary elevation showing the use of a swedge to urge aprojection through the casing; and

FIG. 13 is a fragmentary elevation illustrating penetration of aprojection into well cement, to fracture same; and

FIG. 14 is a fragmentary elevation illustrating use of a washing tool inconjunction with a projection.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring first to FIGS. 1 3, a well casing 10lines a well 11 drilled into an oil or gas (or other fluid) producingformation 12. Multiple projections 13 are carried by the casing wall 14to extend outwardly therefrom, penetrating the formation, theprojections being spaced apart axially and circumferentially of thecasing as desired. The projections contain through porting tointercommunicate the casing exterior and interior,

thereby to pass well fluid therebetween via the projection.

One particularly advantageous projection 13 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3includes a narrow width body 15 which is elongated and taperedlengthwise in the direction of arrow 16, and also elongated laterally inthe direction of arrow 17. It contains elongated central ports 18extending lengthwise and spaced laterally, and short branch ports 19extending from the main port to opposite sides 20 of the body tocommunicate the formation 12 at those sides with the central ports andthe casing interior.2l. Accordingly, well fluid may drain or flow fromthe formation through the casing wall and to the casing interior forupward flow at 60 in the latter, without subjecting the wall to particlecutting at the point of passage through that wall; instead, theprojection itself is subjected to the abrading action of sand particles,but the greater hardness of the projection body (heat treated steel oralloy) resists such abrasion. Also, the multiple projections, by virtueof their greater surface and port exposure to the surrounding formationas compared with the surface of the casing, contribute to increasedproduction flow into the casing. Should the projections become clogged,others may be easily installed; also, should the projection eventuallywear away, the in-flow may continue through the perforation in thecasing.

Note that branch ports 19 slant from the main port 18 rearwardly towardthe casing, so as not to become clogged when the projection bodies aredisplaced outwardly into the formation 12.

The nose 20a of each steel (or alloy steel) projection is ofsufficiently greater hardness than that of the steel casing that theprojection may be forcibly pushed through the casing wall and into theformation, the opposite sides 20 and ends 24 of the projection tightlyand frictionally engaging the casing perforation edges 25 and 26, asshown, to hold the projections in place. A flange or shoulder 27 on theprojection is brought into load transmitting engagement, or nearengagement with the casing inner wall 28, upon installation of theprojection, whereby that shoulder limits outward displacement of theprojection into the formation. A tool to accomplish such installation,as by exerting force in the direction of arrow 16, is indicatedgenerally at 29 in the casing in FIG. 1, the casing axis appearing at30. Such a tool may for example comprise a fluid pressure responsiveactuator, or a swedge, or a gun operable to explosively shoot theprojections through the casing wall. Thus, the projections might bylowered on the tool, suspended by wire line, and then displaced throughthe casing as described.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a modified projection 32 having a main port 33terminating at a passage 34 extending through the projection betweenopposite sides 35 thereof. That passage serves as a relatively large andopen collection zone for well fluid to facilitate its drainage throughport 33 to the casing interior. Note that the main port 33 is elongatedlengthwise of the casing, as appears in FIG. 4.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show the initial support of projections 40 on sections 41of a pipe 42 lowered within the casing. That pipe is longitudinallyscored at locations 43, whereby the pipe sections 41 are separable inresponse to expansive force transmission to the pipe, as by means of atapered swedge indicated at 44 in FIGS. 8 and 12. After the inner pipe42 is landed in the hole, as

at the bottom 45, the swedge is lowered to progressively engage theheads or flanges 46 of the projections, with force transmissionsufflcient to separate the pipe sections 41 and drive them outwardly,the projections then being driven through the casing 47 as shown andinto the formation 48.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show another modified projection 50 which is circular incross section. The hardened nose 51 is frusto-conical, and main andbranch ports 52 and 53 communicate the casing exterior and interiorthrough the projection body. A gun 54 is operable to fire the projectionthrough the casing wall 55, penetrating same at 56. A head or flange 57on the projection limits its penetration into the formation byengagement with the casing inner wall.

FIG. 13 illustrates the step of flowing wash liquid from within thecasing to the formation 12 via the projection 13 of the type seen inFIGS. 1 3. A straddle tool lowered in the casing comprises a wash pipe71 and cups 72 carried on the pipe and sealing against the casing 73above and below the projection 13. Pressurized wash liquid flows fromthe pipe to the casing interior between the cups and then via theprojection to the formation. If desired, the pressure may be such as toaid in fracturing the formation to increase the flow of production fluidto the casing via the projection. A source of pressurized liquid isindicated at 74.

FIG. 14 indicates a projection 13 which is wedgeshaped as seen in FIG.3. It has been driven through the casing 76 and into a body of cement 75installed around the casing. The penetration of the projection into thecement fractures the latter, as indicated by cracks 77, to aid inincreasing the flow of well fluid to the casing interior via the portingin the projection body.

IClaim:

1. In combination with well casing,

a. a projection carried by the casing wall and extending outwardlytherefrom,

b. the projection containing through porting to intercommunicate thecasing exterior and interior, thereby to pass well fluid therebetweenvia the projection,

c. the projection being elongated in said outward direction and also inthe direction of the casing length, in relation to the projection width,and

d. said porting including elongated main ports extending in said outwarddirection and spaced apart in said casing length direction, and branchports communicating the mainports with side surface portions of theprojection.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the projection has an outwardlyfacing terminal that is hardened to an extent facilitating forciblepenetration thereof through the casing wall.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein the projection penetrates throughsaid wall, and including a shoulder on the projection and facing towardthe inner side of the casing wall for limiting outward displacement ofthe projection through said wall.

4. The combination of claim 3 including multiple projections as definedand penetrating the casing wall at spaced locations.

5. The combination of claim 3 including a tool in the casingtransmitting force urging the projection in a direction away from acasing defined axis.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said tool comprises a gun.

7. The combination of claim 5 wherein said tool comprises a hydraulicactuator.

8. The combination of claim 5 wherein said tool comprises a swedge.

9. The combination of claim 1 including hardened cement at the outerside of the casing and into which .the projection penetrates, the cementforming cracks to pass well fluid to said projection and portingtherein.

10. The combination of claim 1 including the well formation into whichthe projection penetrates at the casing exterior, the formation beingporous to pass well fluid to the projection and porting therein.

11. The combination of claim 1 including a washing tool in the casingflowing liquid from the casing interior to said porting for subsequentflow therethrough to wash a formation into which the projectionpenetrates. In combination with well casing,

a. spread apart pipe sections at the inside of the casing and multipleprojections carried by said sections, the projections penetratingoutwardly through the casing at spaced locations, there being shoulderson the projections facing outwardly to limit outward displacement of theprojections relative to said sections, and

the projections containing through porting to intercommunicate thecasing interior and exterior to pass well fluid therebetween via theprojections.

13. The method of facilitating communication between the exterior andinterior of well casing in a well formation and utilizing a projectionhaving a nose at one end thereof, a shoulder spaced from said nose,through porting extending lengthwise of the projection, and a pipecarried section within the casing supporting the projection proximatesaid shoulder, that includes:

a. displacing said projection relatively through the wall of the casingto cause said nose to penetrate said formation and to urge said sectiontoward the casing inner wall, and

b. completing said displacing when said through porting bridges thecasing wall.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein a cement formation extends exteriorlyof the casing, and said displacement of the projection is carried out toeffect projection penetration and fracturing of the cement formationthereby to facilitate well fluid flow via the fractures and projectionto the casing interior.

15. The method of claim 13 including the step of flowing washing liquidfrom within the casing to the formation outside the casing via saidporting in the pro jection and after completion of projectiondisplacement as defined.

16. The method of claim 13 including the step of flowing well fluid fromthe formation to the casing interior via said porting in the projectionand after completion of projection displacement as defined.

, UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No.3,690,380 Dated Sept. 12, 1972 Invent0r(s) Donovan B Grabl It iscertified that error appears in the aboveidentified patent and that saidLetters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 5, line 19; In combination with well casing, should read 12. Incombination with well casing,

Signed and sealed this 1st day of May 1973.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDl-JARD M. FLETCHER, JR. ROBERT GOTT-S CHALK v Attesting OfficerCommissioner of Patents I USCOMM'DC 603764 69 1% U.S. GOVERNMENTPRINTING OFFICE 1968 0-366-33,

1. In combination with well casing, a. a projection carried by thecasing wall and extending outwardly therefrom, b. the projectioncontaining through porting to intercommunicate the casing exterior andinterior, thereby to pass well fluid therebetween via the projection, c.the projection being elongated in said outward direction and also in thedirection of the casing length, in relation to the projection width, andd. said porting including elongated main ports extending in said outwarddirection and spaced apart in said casing length direction, and branchports communicating the mainports with side surface portions of theprojection.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein the projection has anoutwardly facing terminal that is hardened to an extent facilitatingforcible penetration thereof through the casing wall.
 3. The combinationof claim 1 wherein the projection penetrates through said wall, andincluding a shoulder on the projection and facing toward the inner sideof the casing wall for limiting outward displacement of the projectionthrough said wall.
 4. The combination of claim 3 including multipleprojections as defined and penetrating the casing wall at spacedlocations.
 5. The combination of claim 3 including a tool in the casingtransmitting force urging the projection in a direction away from acasing defined axis.
 6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said toolcomprises a gun.
 7. The combination of claim 5 wherein said toolcomprises a hydraulic actuator.
 8. The combination of claim 5 whereinsaid tool comprises a swedge.
 9. The combination of claim 1 includinghardened cement at the outer side of the casing and into which theprojection penetrates, the cement forming cracks to pass well fluid tosaid projection and porting therein.
 10. The combination of claim 1including the well formation into which the projection penetrates at thecasing exterior, the formation being porous to pass well fluid to theprojection and porting therein.
 11. The combination of claim 1 includinga washing tool in the casing flowing liquid from the casing interior tosaid porting for subsequent flow therethrough to wash a formation intowhich the projection penetrates. In combination with well casing, a.spread apart pipe sections at the inside of the casing and multipleprojections carried by said sections, the projections penetratingoutwardly through the casing at spaced locations, there being shoulderson the projections facing outwardly to limit outward displacement of theprojections relative to said sections, and b. the projections containingthrough porting to intercommunicate the casing interior and exterior topass well fluid therebetween via the projections.
 13. The method offacilitating communication between the exterior and interior of wellcasing in a well formation and utilizing a projection having a nose atone end thereof, a shoulder spaced from said nose, through portingextending lengthwise of the projection, and a pipe carried sectionwithin the casing supporting the projection proximate said shoulder,that includes: a. displacing said projection relatively through the wallof the casing to cause said nose to penetrate said formation and to urgesaid section toward the casing inner wall, and b. completing saiddisplacing when said through porting bridges the casing wall.
 14. Themethod of claim 13 wherein a cement formation eXtends exteriorly of thecasing, and said displacement of the projection is carried out to effectprojection penetration and fracturing of the cement formation thereby tofacilitate well fluid flow via the fractures and projection to thecasing interior.
 15. The method of claim 13 including the step offlowing washing liquid from within the casing to the formation outsidethe casing via said porting in the projection and after completion ofprojection displacement as defined.
 16. The method of claim 13 includingthe step of flowing well fluid from the formation to the casing interiorvia said porting in the projection and after completion of projectiondisplacement as defined.